Data centers have become very densely populated spaces where multiple components such as switches, routers, directors or servers are interconnected by a multitude of cables. These hardware components are typically mounted on racks so that multiple components may be interconnected using short lengths of cables. Such cables may be fiber optic cables including cable harnesses. Longer jumper cables or trunk cables (multiple fibers enclosed under one jacket) are used for interconnecting equipment within a data center room or to other equipment in a local area network (LAN).
A rack may be used to mount a hardware component described as a blade; due to the small size (thin profile) and high density of the component. For example, a Brocade DCX Fiber Channel Switch, or CISCO 9513 Fiber Channel Switch or like backbone component provides, a 8 Gbps network switching platform for a data center storage area network (SAN) or telecommunications system; including as many as 512 fiber channel ports by combining up to 11 “blades,” containing 16-, 32-, 48-, or 64-port fiber channel blades in a single rack chassis.
Such hardware blade components are interconnected by fiber optic cables including terminations at the ends of the cables with fiber optic connectors. For example, individually channeled fiber connectors may be LC type connectors, such as LC Pro-Slide or mSFP-LC-Pro-Slide connectors as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,588,373. A typical fiber-optic cable harness has multiple individually channeled fiber connectors furcated at a first end and a single cable at a second end terminated by a multi-fiber connector, such as an MTP® connector.
A typical means for handling cables on a rack 10 is depicted in FIG. 1. Fiber-optic cables 15 are routed to or from a distribution shelf 30 from the components below. Since the cables are generally the same length, there is slack in the cables which require that the cables are hanging loosely and may have sharp bends 25 in the cable which may cause damage to the cables. Although, a sleeve 30 may be used to attempt to contain the cables 15, this organizing means is usually unsuccessful and the cables may fall out of the sleeve 30. Bends 25 in the cables may damage or break the fiber inside the cables and affect the transmission character and the efficiency of the cables. Without a specific cable management system, installation and servicing of such cables is difficult and extremely time consuming.
Other approaches for managing cables include modules or cassettes that may be installed or removed from the front or rear of a patch panel housing. However, the use of such modules requires extra space in the rack. Thus, a cost effective system for managing slack and organization of fiber optic cables within a rack for hardware components is desired to overcome the above problems with previously known systems.